Design Work Life had a post last week about the work of artist Lulie Wallace. Her still life paintings are too cool — colorful, dynamic and a little retro, infusing energy and style into a potentially dull subject. I got caught up for a while this evening flipping through her portfolio, but the image featured above is one of my favs. I can’t be too sure, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the striped vase has something to do with it!

While I save up to hoard a few originals from her shop, I’ll hold myself over with a little dress-up inspired by Lulie’s bold, vintage vibe.

Clockwise from top left:
Tunic dress in old rose from Mango ($79.90)
Black and white polka dot foulard from Mango ($29.90)
Cosmic thread copper and walnut wood necklace by Goldlyn ($161)
Pastel pigments earrings by Modcloth($17.99)
Opaque tights in green wood from Nordstrom ($11.99)
Portola Valley Kaley handbag in mauve by Kate Spade($295)
Fuschia wool knit pencil skirt by Nina Ricci on MyTheresa ($765)
Orange “Oh My Darling” wedge from Modcloth ($54.99)
Essie nail polish is “Wife Goes On,” “Carry On” and Luxedo
Chartreuse vintage cat eye glasses on Flickr by Vintage Eyewear
Gray and navy stripe Breton top by Beth Graham via FarFetch ($87)
Bronze blaise flat moccasin with metallic dot studs by Loeffler Randall ($325)

This photo from the nümph brand news feed is a real treat!  The bold and retro mosaic pattern jumped out at me for obvious reasons, but the artist here has introduced enough “busy” elements to keep things interesting and balanced.

I’m a sucker for a good geometric pattern, and while I used to be a die-hard polka dot enthusiast, I’ve recently found my tastes graduating to triangular tessellations. Lucky for me, triangles are everywhere these days–from art to fashion, triangles are downright trendy.  Is the triangle the hippest shape out there right now? Check out some of the inspired pieces below and weigh in on the debate!

Clockwise from top left:

Cassette Society metallic gold triangle tee on ShopBop.com ($58.50)
1960 tribal triangle necklace by House of Harlow on Bloomingdales ($80)
Geometric beams dress with bead embellishment from Beyond the Valley via Asos ($450)
Cropped triangles top from Fred Flare ($33.99)
Geometric pop earrings by nomilktoday on Etsy ($9.50)
Multi triangles heather grey tee by jessalinb on Etsy ($36)
Converse triangle-print hightop Marimekko sneakers via Saks Fifth Avenue ($80)
Occult triangle badges from PandaEyesPendants on Etsy ($5 for 4)
Beaded geometry bag from Anthropologie ($228)
Geometric mosaic cuff by American Apparel ($24.50)

Uh-maz-ing. It’s like this bag is speaking to my soul. Maybe it’s because today’s high was only 20-something degrees, but these pieces from Mara’s resort collection are looking especially good right now. The colors and the patterns are spot-on trend, and I’m kind of wishing there was a beach in my near future!

I first stumbled upon this image from Peter Freitag’s “Private Stages” on Today and Tomorrow, and felt an instant attraction. A bit of reading revealed this work as one of many collages that was conceived with some creative editing of amateur nude photos found on the Internet. Say what? I know, crazy, but each of the lovely pieces in this series was painstakingly crafted by layering hole-punched dots from several copies of the printed photo until the provocative content was obscured. As a girl who has spent many an hour cloning, patching and healing in Photoshop, I find his handiwork especially impressive. Check out the full series on Peter Freitag’s portfolio site for so many more beautifully transformed photos.

Besides the fact that this work is absolutely stunning, the colors and the playful layering of dots in this particular collage got me dreaming of other things.. fantastically feminine pieces inspired by the white and pink hues and the pattern of the circles, reminiscent of cascading bubbles from a freshly opened bottle of champagne. My mind has been known to wander..

Clockwise from top-left:
Cream pom pom scarf found in melelim’s Etsy shop ($10)
Hand-crafted rings bracelet from bluehourdesigns on Etsy ($60)
T-Los Angeles circle tee in off-white on Boutique To You ($110)
ASOS DARE studded hightop sneakers ($55)
Circle jelly flats from Marc by Marc Jacobs
Mesh teardrop crop top from Topshop ($40)
Champagne bubbles ring by Kate Spade ($55)
Marc Jacobs polka dot mini-skirt in rose and cream on MyTheresa.com ($660)
Scalloped shift dress by Robert Rodriguez on Shopbop ($594)
Sequined fold-over clutch from BCBGMAXAZRIA ($43)

This post is inspired by an artist whose work was featured last month on Design*Sponge.  Kristen Wicklund’s doilies, shown here on exhibit at Greenwich House, are hand-crocheted, dipped in porcelain and fired. The cotton yarn burns away to leave behind a hollow porcelain shell, taking the beauty and delicacy of lace doilies to a whole new level.

I love doily patterns and hope to one day have the skill and patience necessary to make my own. In the meantime, I’m thinking of picking up one of Kristen’s creations from her shop on Etsy, called Forest Clearing. If you’re more of a fashion fiend than an art collector, the pieces below might fulfill your need for some doily-inspired fun.

Clockwise from top left
Dress from Alberta Ferretti’s Spring 2010 show
Embroidery from Neville Trickett’s Flickr
Red Hunter Wellies from Shelba’s Flickr
Old Red Hat letterpress pieces
Hoboken Pie Store
Thank You card from Pop + Shorty
Martha Stewart butterfly straw toppers
Living room from stylist/textile designer Marieke van Proosdij
RedruM photo frames
Ulrika May pillows